Change-speed gearing for automobiles



Oct. 16 1923. 1,470,976

w. F. HARRINGTON CHANGE SPEED GEARING FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 9. 1919 i Figure ii'is an --enia1-gedesectionai'jviewffmovement `of the power shaftll, thus com# Painieaiefieaa i' .n o' WILLIAM 1*. naanmefrion, Ormotnnojonm Assrenon rro 'rnnv/'ILLYS-ovnennirnp cOM1 ni\rr,v ormonnno, omai-r oon-PonATioN or oH'Ioj Aommen-siennn ele-#earner non AUTOMOBILES.

applicati@ :ned Junei'e. wie. ,serial im.y 392,755;

1 gallwhom @onge/m.; f showing clet'vils .ot'thek mechanism, and il#- Beit known that I, 7i-Limiti FLHARMNG; lustrating its manner OLS-operation'. ToN,a subject tov the King ot' Great B1itain, VFigurerIV is verticalsectional view, residing at Toledo, county or Lucas,K-State of i taken along the line IVIV of'FigurefHl, l 5 Ohio, have inventedV certain` new and useiul and ,iilustrating features *of the f'cletentl Improvements in Changespeecl Gearing -or mechanism. l. f 1 A Automobiles, ot which cleclare the'ollow- Simil FGQFGHC@ CilvililSk refer itO 0071"# in? t0 be a full @lema-i111@ exact description, responding parts throughout .the several This invention relates to changel speed :WSW/ 5, and" the SrSCiOi ViGWS'LF@ tilell' o 1U gearing :tor automobiles, andinoreespecially OOlIDg in the 'direction of the small arrows 65 to mechanism adapted to control'the move# t the GHClSOf the, Sect/i0n liriS- f o* ment of the movable gears in such a manner Referring' 'to thetiraWings', lO- indicatesy asr to prevent injury thereto when ychanging l illSmiSSiOl Casing' `0f -tll CIWQHOIliT to different speeds.V y

type having; a lriving 'elementjor powerf H 15 On@ Object ofthe invent-Onis,toppmyidg L shaft l1 extending' within the easing, 21116170;V

mechanism of this characterfor controlling' ptitbiy fmOUIliCi iii 2 lOGiiIlQl o 12, PCSI-i Y. the operation ot the movable gears; to vprey.lOIlBCl lil Kme Gnd thereotf The driving elevent the engagement of more VL-,hmyone `Qf y mentor powershait is adapted-'to be operathese gears with on@ 0f thegQayg`On-t1le tively connected with an engine (not O29 counter-shaft at anv time.V Shown), and carries `a *driving pinion' 13 75 futhey ObjQCJ-/Qjf this, invention .firmly SGCHXQClhGIQtO Mithil'lvtlliCkaiSllg. f AL provide a mechanism ot Ythe charactendedrive shaft 14 islotftahiy-mounte in an scribedL for positively ret-innigY one'of the A'anti-friction bearing 15 carried` by ther casi movable gears in neutrali position at all 111g, and iS SOpOSiiODGCi aS tdbfin 7ilial Y times, K Y* 'y alignment with the power shaft Vllfkllhe 80 Anotherobject of the invention is topro; V@11dk 0f :the drive 'Shaft 14 which extends A. vide mechanism of the character described, `\Vitili1 theL IYTLISmiSSOH CLSDSS PIOVidQCl which is of simple construction and efficient Wiiia plurality o'isplines 16 so arranged afi' i in` operation. Y K to permit movement of the movable gears l7 3U` Further objects oi' this invention relate andglt carried bytliefliive*Sliiiftlin a ClireC- --85' t0 .economies/0f manufacture and details, 0f iTl longitudinally Ofii tll Sila-ft, Aand. *211CA the Y eonstruction'as will hereinafter appear from Same time prevent rotation offthese gears o the Cletaile:l description to follow. i Y with respectto the counter-shaft The objects of the invention are accom-- polso mounted in!suitablehearings car-- means described in the following specifica! stantiallv parailel with tlie'lonoitudinal arzisj tion, but it is evident thatthe same may begof the 'flriY' vShaft-lf riili ,i-iiy''iUfliS varied widely without rl'epartinpr from the 120, 2l, 22 and 2 3' are' rrnly secured tothe iscopefoit the'inventiomas pointeciout inthe count'er-shattk il rot Y,e therewitlifpThe Y appenclefl claims. Y gearQO is continually. in mesh withand con-,` 95 structure censtitntinfrone embodiment fstantly drivenbyfthepinion 13 #securedvr toot the invention, which may be'thefpre.the'encljot'the powersliacttY The 'gearsQLj ferred, is illustrated jin' the. accompanyingzJ `22anrl 23, lare thus constantly` rotated` from Y drawing jlforming a part he eof, in -whicb f: the Atl 7inn;'i'iinion Ji gear 24 is carrieol Figure l .is a ve cal-'l i byfa. ixerl shaft-'tnot` shown) @nrl isjon flo() through the transmission'casing. of an# o stantlv in mesh with and continually rof mobile, showing` the relative positionfojt tat-eci bythe gear carried by the counteroperating: mechanismfwith respect rto the shatt.V i V `Y transmission shaft. i ,The movable gearslfancllSare each pro'- o liligure il is a horizontal-sectional"View, v'iflerl'withfashiitin p tenen alongfthe line f H of Figure I, inentby shifting Larmsk *.vherebythey saidA showing` the relative 'nosition-Ot ,the noeratV gears be movedV in a direction longiin eclianisni tor controlling; the nioveme Sil ot tlrnmovable gears.

Plished in one instance fliV lthe devices-anriA iGCl/ by. til@ lfl iS hositiOnevClSUb- 90 frco'llar Q5 forfengage- 105'* turlinalliY or the drive. shaft... The'pinion 13 f f municat-ing rotative movement ot' the gear 20, and thecounter-shatt 19 together with the gears' 21, 22 and 23 carried by the einer teiMSliat, and the gear 24 which is ronstan'tly inmesh with. the gear 23. 'The gears 17 and 18 are shown in liigui'e l asnceupy-y .ing their neutral positions, in which they are out oic mesh with the `gears' carried by the counter-shaft, and so positioned that the 'Y directly Operated from the power shaft. El@

however, the movable gear 18 is moved rear-` -wardly a sutlicient distancet will be plated in mesh with the `gear 21 carried' bythe counter-shaft, whereby rotative movement may be imparted to the drive sliatt 'from the l' power shaft through the counter-shaft 19,

and in the saine direction as by engagement -ot the gear 18 with the lrivingg pinion 1B but at a lowerspeed. lf the movable gear 17 is moved'i'n a forwardly direction, it is adapted to beplaced in Vmesh with the .22 carried by the counter-shaft, tliiis rotative movement is impartedgto the drive shalt through the cOuntershait, in the same direction as the rotative movement imparted to the shaft by means of the gear 18, but at a lower rate of speed as will be evident u pon comparing the relative sizes of the4 `,eeais 17 and 22. lt, however, the movable i. tl

gear 17 is moved in the opposite direction, towards the rear, it will be placed in r vsh .with the Agear 24, whereby rotative movement will be imparted to the drive sli-att -in a directionyopposite to that in which it would.' be rotated under the several condi tions previously described` The mechanism previouslydescribed comprises the conventional form o'lmtransinission mechanism commonly used -inautomobilem so arranged as to enable the drive shaft to be rotatedat varyingvdeurees of speed, and

also makingV it possible toreverse the Vdirection of, rotation et the drive shaft when desired.

Ysecond gear has beenV ret.

position. In .order to best provide mecha- Vnism forproperly controlling the movementdiliiculties would be encountered it through Vaccident or otherwise the movable gears ,17 and 18 should both be placed in mesh vratjthe .same time with one of their meshing gears. It is highly desirable. therefore, to provide mechanisms which will positively retain 'one of these gears .in neutralhposition whenever the other gear is moved from its neutral position, and onlyy permitY movementiot the first pearatterthe .ed to neutral lt, is obvious that serious of the movable gears 17 and 1K8, a pair oit longitudinally slidable rods 27 and 28 are slidably mounted in oppositely positioned registering bearings 29 and 30 formed in the upper part of the gear'casing. The longitudinally slidable rods are so positioned as lto extend substantially parallel with each other at all times. y

Each of these rods has rmly secured thereto a split collar 31 the parts oit which are lirmly clamped to each of the rods by means of a bolt 32, each of said collars 31 being provided with a downwardly extend- .ing arm 38 having forked ends 34 adapted to'y partially embrace one ot the .shitting collars in suoli a manner aSfto control the movement oit one oi'; the movable gears. The

are of similar construction and are so 'arsplit 'collars 81 together vwith the downlwardly extending arms 33y and vforks 34,

ranged that they each control one et the L `,ears 17 and 18.. Caps 37 and 38 are adapted to kbe firmly secured to the ends of the transinissioii'casing by means ot bolts or like Yfastening means 40 for the purpose ot properly inelosingthe bearings 29 and 30 to prevent foreign matter from becoming lodged therein. 15in opening 41 is formed inthe upper portion of the transmission easinglor the purpose of permitting 'tree movement of the collars 81 and their asso-v ciated )arts in a direction lon itudinal'l 1 of,l

the casing.

A supplemental easing` 42 is provided,

which may be secured to the upper surface ot'the transmission easing by means et bolts or similar fastening means 43, and which serves to cover the opening 41 torniedin the l vupper portion of the transmission casing' and provide as a support ttor thecontrol lever 44. VThe control lever 44 isi pivotally mounted at 45 in the supplemental housing in such a'iiianner that the control lever pivotsr freely on the point 45. The split collars 31 are oppositely positioned upon the Arods v27 and 28. each ot said collars beine' provided with a pair o'i' inwardly extending` ears 47,`so positioned as to provide oppositely extending registeringr slots 48. control lever 44 is provided with a squared portion 49 at its lower end, which is adapted to be positioned within the space termed by ,the-oppositely extending slots 48 in such a manner lto control the movement of the ,longitudinally slidahle rods 27 and 28 by exerting pressure against the ears 47. The control member .44 is mounted in such a manner that the lower end thereof is capable oic moving in a direction longitudinally of the casingand' is also capable ot a slight movement in a transverse direction within the slots 48. f

Each 0f the longitudinally movable rods is provided with a plurality of depressions `or grooves 50 formed near one end thereof,

and spaced from each other'.-longitudinally top portion of the casingJ in the same vhorizontal plane with the bearings 30 providedff for the endsfof lthe longitudinal slidable` rods, and communicating with the bearings s 30. r detent mechanism 52 isradaptedtobe positioned within the transverse passage 51 l j between the longitudinally slidable rods 27 ableiods correspond to the threepositionsYV and 28.; The detent mechanismcomprises a pair of similar hollow cylindrical inem- {beis 53, each ofV which is lprovided: ivithna tapered end portion 54k whichis adapted to be positioned within one of the grooves or depressions formed inthe longitudinally slidable-rods. These sections 53 are provided with angularl mating facing 55 so"r formed as to prevent rotation of the sec-fthe passagejland thus prevents the taperedend portionstof theldetents 53 from 4 getting out of alignment with the grooves tions with `respect to each other Within kthe ,passage 5l, and a coiled compression'spring '5G is adapted to be positioned within the hollow interior of the sections andA beary against the opposite ends thereof in` 'such ra manner as to urge thev ends 5ft into close engagement with the grooves or depressions formed in Vtherslidable rods. l The* three grooves or depressions formedin the slid,-

` of the V'movable gears 1'7 and 18, one of which is :controlled by each of the slidable rods? YThe intermediate grooves vor depressions formed in each of the slidable `rods are'so positioned as to be in registry with the tapered end 54: 0f kthe Vvdetent mecha# nism-whe'n the gea-r controlled by that rod,v The two outer is in its neutral position. grooves oi' depressions 50 formed in each of these rods are so positioned as to be in registry withV the tapered :endrl'of the,

detent mechanism when the'J gear controlled` ifdef i where they are each adapted to be *posibvthat rod is in each of its' opposite tions of engagement respectively.

' c The depth of these depressionsy formedin able zrods tof move'the saine in afflongitu Vthel rods is such that when the part-sare Yin the 'position shown inf Figuresfll and Ill, the intermediategrooves which `arel shown in kregistry with theopposing'ends of the detent mechanism permit thesections 53 4to be slightly displaced outvvz'irdly with respect to each other, so that when force is applied to oneof the longitudinally mov- Adinal vdi'rectionl'fthe' sections offthe de tent mechanism can `be forcedtoge'therasufli cient distanceY to permitr one of l the,l rods to. be displaced until the endof the detentv mechanism cov-'operating Atherewith engages with Voneof the exterior grooves `or depressions. .VVhi'le in this position ofthepartsV Y the second redis-held against movement until the firstnamed rodisl released to its In the present instance :'thei Y p se.Y uentl y, tending opening-.51 isrforined within the 5 original position. The :p'artsrof thedetent:y

mechanism are so formed-,that thersections can not be vvforced .togetherito-perinit both rodsl'being moved at the same. time. l Con- V itis impossible to Viinovey that rod the 'gear controlled thereby 'from their l andneutral posi-tion until `the v'first rod fis* returned to itsfneutral. position, so that the f opposite fend ofthe vdetent mechanismV will come f into .engagement with the*` middle groove, and therefore 'permit' the'secoiid rod .The passage lgforme'd inthe upper pory f face 58, which is adapted to co-operate With so l a flattened ory angu'lar'portion `tllon'the jouter surface of the detent" sections",` asy 'shown in Figure VIV,v whereby the detent sections are prevented from rotating within .50. The opposite ends of the passage 5l, are

threaded within the outer ends'otthispasl sage. thus completelyfexcludingdust or] other foreign matter therefrom.

described, the power; shaft. isV driven from in the operationof'l the Vmechanisnri above i951 whereby rotation isimparted to the' vpinion i' carriedf'by the power shaft A and to' thevl00 counter-shaft. together V with the`r several f f gears carried thereby. *y The drive' shaft which is mounted in axial alignment/'with the power shaft lcarries the movable `gears 17 and 18 t-hereon, in such a manner as to render them capablev of movement in a direction lairially ofthe drive shaft, and in? oppositeA directions from their Ineutral iposition'.` The movable gears l7`and18' are shown in Figure I asoccupying'their neuf. trai positions intermediate of the points tioned when' imparting rotative movement lio? tothe .drive shaft.V I The movement ofthe y lon.i tndinal movable Vgears v'is controlled by the orlndarirfis3A-V rigidly secured tothe corresponding vlongitudiiiallygslidable'rods l27 iand?28,.,fwhich rodsjas shownk in Figure IL in their Q neutral position` when so placed that kthe kpointed ends offthe'detent mechanism are adapted t0 engfige,with the.

intermediate groove or slot formedV in 'efach wir *f reason ofv pressure je'Xerted` by the lower in avdirection'iransverse of thetransmission gearing which the lower end t9 ofthe con` VThe slidable rods are adaptedtov be selecf? tively actuatedby the control levend/t. bvli25 trol lever-iis capable,the lower end ofthe control-,lever t9 Vca iibe pushed in either rection' transverselyof the transmission casmg fromlits position as shown 1n Figure Il,

-so as to bein contact with the ears ricarriedby one only of thecollarsll. Vrather Y one Vof the slidable rodsmay thus be moved in longitudinal direction by means of the control lever, and when returned to its original position so that the opp'ositely extending slots 48 areinregistry with each other,

the control lever may beV shifted vtransverse-` ly and from that positionthe opposite sliding rod `maybe movedr in a longitudinal direction. vAs vthe longitudinally slidable rods are moved axially in ttheir bearings,the corresponding forked arms Bet are similarly displaced in a longitudinal direction Within the transmission casing, thus communicat- 'ingmovement-to the movable gears 1T and 18. Since in the neutral position of the slidable rods the oppositely extending tapered ends of the detentsections engage vvith the intermediate slots or grooves Ytermed in -each ol1 the sliding rods, these grooves being of suiicient depthY topermit suliieientmovenient et the detentsections relative to each` .other upon torce being exerted upon one of the slidable rods for theA purpose ol? displacing the same axially with respect to the other solthat either one oi" the slidable rods lmay `be .moved a sufficient distance .in either direction to permit the detent mechanism to engage with one of the end lgrooves or recesses formed in that rod. lWhen either of the slidable'rods is thus moved, the correspending sliding gear controlled therebry- Will be similarly moved, andvvhen the slidable rod is displaced a suticient distance` so that the detent mechanism engages with one ot the end grooves or slots` the corresponding sliding gear will have been moved a. su'lic'ient distance to properly mesh with one of its cooperating. gears 'for the purpose oit communicating movement. to the drive shat't from the power shaft. When, however,

yis freturned toits neutral position. so that one of the slidable r,rods has been moved `from its 4v.neutral position' in either direction, the tact that the grooves are of .only

` suilieient kdepth sothatfa'stlie pointedy end of'one Vof the detent sectionsV passes ont of the groove the detent sections are positioned.

sonear` together that the pointed end of the other detent section can not be releasedf 'from the middle groove until thelirst rod the controly leverr is in position to actuate tlie second rod. This is true even when the first rod isdisplaceda suicient dis-- tance so ,that the corresponding Vdetent sections engage With one of the outer grooves or slots carried by the rod, since the control lever is not then in` position to actuate the second rod. Thus each slida-ble rod is locked in itsvneutrallvposition during anyy .pressed detent for locking each slidable rod in its neutral position vduring the movement ping projections.

movement'fof the :other'slidable rod from its neutralposition, which locking mechanism lis releasable kto permit movement of the first named Vrod onlynpon thereturn of the second slidable rod to its neutral position. ,It will be observed, that this mechanisml positively prevents the accidental movement of one of the gears from its neutral position atxany time Whenthe 'other gear is moved from :its neutral position.

' .l/Vhile I have shown anddescribed in considerable detail aspecitic embodiment of.4

my; invention, it is to beunderstood that this showing and description is illustrative only,and for` the purpose of rendering my invention more clear, and'thatI do not rcgard theinvention as limited to the detailsA ot `construction illustrated or described. nor any ot them, except in so 'far as I have included such limitation ivithin the terms 'of the following claims, in which itis my inktention-to claim all novelty inherent in. myV

invention broadly as Well specifically.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is: l, In 'a change speed gearing, the combinationof a plurality of driving driven'shaft, a plurali-ty of gears on said driven shaft, means to `selectively engage gears, a

each ofthegears carriedby `the driven shaft` Withone or more of the driving gears, and detents forl preventing movement of either of thefgears on the driven shattifrom its neutral position except when the other gear mountedon the driven shaft is in its neutral a detent for locking each slid-able rod in its neutral position during the movement of the other rod from its neutral position, said detent comprising spaced apart sections provided vvith overlapping co-operating eXtensions, each section having a llattened portion to prevent a section from rotating the cooperating sections When the detent isl operated. 1 n

3. In a cliange.speed gearing, a pair of Alongitudinally slidable rods, a shifter arm secured to each rod, means'for selectivelyV moving the slidable rods, and a spring of the other rod from its neutral position,

kthe said detent comprising spaced apart sectionsprovided with co-operating overlap- 4.. In achange lspeed gearing,

a pair of *l longitudinally slidable rods, provided With depressions formed therein, a shifter arm carried by each rod, means forfselectively moving theslidable rods, and a ldetent adapted to engage certain of the depressions i Jformed in the rods to prevent displacement of both rods from their neutral positions at the'same time, the said detent being provided With a attened portion to prevent rotation of the detent.

5. In Ia change speedv gearing, a pair yof longitudinally slidable rods, a shifter arm carried by each rod, means for selectively moving the slidable rods, spring "pressed means comprising mating sections `for locke ing each Vslidable rod in its neutral` position during the movement of the other rod from its neutral position, the mating sections be-k ing provided with a iiat portion and a passage through Wliich the detent slides, said passage being provided With a fiat portion, the lat portions co-operating to prevent ro* tation of the detent.

6. In a change speed gearing, a pair of longitudinally slid-able rods, a shifter arm carried by each rod, means for selectively Amoving 'the' slidable rods, spring pressed means comprising mating sections for lockf therein, a shifter arm carried by each rod,l

means for selectively moving the slidable rods, and a detent comprising mating sections adapted to engage certain of the depressions formed in the rods to prevent displacement of both rods from theirrneutral position kat the same time, the said mating sections being providedwith oppositely extending projections slidable upon each other.

u 8."`In a change spoed gearing, a pair of longitudinally slidable rods provided with depressions formed therein, a shifter arm carried by each rod, means for selectively moving the slidable rods, and Vaqdetent adapted to engage certain-of the depressions formed inthe rods to prevent displacement of bothrods from their neutralpositions at Vthe same time, said detent comprising mating sections capable of`longitudinal movement With respect to each other, kthe said mating sections. being provided with overlapping semi-cylindrical portions slidable upon each other.

9. In a change speed gearing, a pair of longitudinally slidable rods providedv with depressions formed therein, a shifter arm kcarried by each rod, means for selectively moving the slidable rods, and ya detent adapted to engage certain of the depressions formed in the rods to prevent displacement of both rods from their neutral positions at the same time, said detent comprising mating sections capable of longitudinal movement With respect to each other, and

meansfor preventing-rotation ofthe detent sections about their longitudinal axes.

10."In a change speed gearing, a pair of' longitudinally slidable rods provided With depressions formed therein, a shifter larm carried by each rod, means for selectively vmoving the slidable rods, and a detent comprising mating sections capable of longitudinal movement with respect to each other,

means tendin to se arate said matin seci g g tions, a guide for said detent, and means to prevent rotative movement of said mating sections in said guide.

In testimony whereof, I aiix my signature.

WILLIAM F. HARRINGToN. 

